STARDUST point
by F o N t E. AQUA
Summary: The sky's made of stardust, Faithy. Don't you know? If there's anything wrong, just be sure to tell me. I may be a sour jackass but just tell me, alright? /FAITH X JACKNIFE FANFIC! INSPIRED BY SWAGGERS! R&R PLEASE! OOC WARNING!/
1. City Break, With Pale Blue

**DISCLAIMER: MIRROR'S EDGE DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. CHARACTERS DO NOT BELONG TO ME. I DO NOT OWN JACKNIFE, FAITH, MERCURY, ETC. I wish I could though...THEY BELONG TO EA. **

**Yes, My first Mirror's Edge fanfic! Too bad there's no characters category yet! Mirror's Edge needs to be popular! It got like, a perfect TEN! This is impossible! Anyways, yeah, someone inspired me to write this story (You know who you are) and I'd like to give credit. Credit given at the end! :D**

**Might as well save the best for the last, at least. Saw the game, fell in love with it, and noticed a couple almost (I don't mean everyone) everybody doesn't recognize. But you know, the couple may not be confirmed a real one, but I just put up what others think. Faith and Jacknife DO have a relationship, whether romantic or not, I'm determined to find out in the next game! OF THE PREQUEL! (:  
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**So, um, yeah, please enjoy! Criticism allowed, but no flamings! OOC WARNING!  
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Skies.

They hide the upper atmosphere, and what they show is the brightness of the blue illuminating the world. The brightness, also caused by the golden sphere drifting in the top heavens, was sometimes too bright. Too bright, for this god damn city.

Mornings, well, it was obvious that the buildings were just painted with nice primary colors, and too much light could burn the eyes. Only the residents were the ones able to tolerate the sight and to just let go with the flow. Afternoons, they weren't worse than mornings. At least the sun rays gave mercy;the stillness of hot torture broke to allow the cool, refreshing wind to blow in the city. Nights, were in fact, the best. As the cold seeps into the black space, at least the architecture of the state could finally have a rest from the immense heat which affected on every surface available.

People hate the sun for its fiery and flaring incandescence, but it never had effect on Runners.

One of the runners, for example, didn't mind the raging heat at all. She just lied down motionless there, on the rooftops of a high-rise building, her arms thrown behind her neck and her eyes closed into a dream. Not a single drop of sweat trickled from the female's temples as her mind was the only thing in her body racing with concentration. Like the sun, it was burning with concentration. Pondering on the city's progress, by means of finance, she thought this city couldn't get much worse. Too bad it already did.

"Sometimes this place is too much for me to take..." She murmured to herself, or probably the cool wind that flew only temporarily, passing by her and dying down. Strange it seem, talking to one's self. However, she knew she wasn't just talking to herself. She knew somebody else was listening to her.

And she didn't want to know that someone was listening.

"Sure is, Faithy," That voice said, the husky tone yet gentle manner following after the words. Coincidentally, or somewhat not, a dark mass of shadow would stand behind the girl, blocking the sunlight, which was fine for her. Nevertheless, she didn't like where the voice belonged to. Or perhaps annoyed would be a much better word.

Faith, the base form of the nickname 'Faithy', didn't move a fraction of an inch at all. She waited. Waited for something to happen. Whether bad or good, she just waited. Hearing a scuffling sound of sneakers, the dark mass or a silhouette bent over near Faith's face and she could feel a warm breath of air at her cheek. Still, she didn't move.

A small touch on her cheek she felt, like a finger, slowly but surely descended down from her cheek to her neck, constantly sending chills down Faith's spine. This triggered her to jolt, and sit up in an irritated and tired mood. She turned to look at who waked her up in such a scary way, and all she could say was, "Jacknife."

Jacknife smiled as though he didn't see the furious look on Faith's face, "Wakey wakey, sleeping beauty."

For some reason, Faith wanted to just kick him off the building. "Go away, Jacknife," She sighed, " Don't you have a mission with Merc?"

"Kreeg could handle it. Besides, I just wanted to have a small break, you know?" He stood up and stretched his arms in the air, a deep breath in and a deep breath our trailing after his stretch. Faith rolled her eyes. She pointed out, "But Runners don't have breaks."

"True, true, BUT! Only some do, and speak for yourself, Faithy. Lying there leisurely, I suppose that isn't called a break then?" Jacknife sneered, crouching down but Faith looked away from him. She lost, and he win. She then looked back at him, his eyes narrowing in utter defeat. The man, in his late teens about nineteen or so and he still wore that black leather jacket and the vibrant blue undershirt of his, with the black jeans and shoes. His face changed in terms of maturity, but his personality was still there. That bastard still had that cheeky smirk on his face, but as Merc said, it kept the group together.

The problem was, Faith didn't understand much at all. She didn't even notice herself gazing at Jacknife for a good minute.

Jacknife raised an eyebrow, "Hello? Earth to Faithy? Are you alright?" He waved a hand in front of her face to ensure she would respond. His voice even sounded slightly concerned and she noticed that. Faith blinked several times, and realized what she was doing. She looked at the training grounds, "Sorry. My muscles feel achy right now."

"Huh?" He started to smile, and Faith didn't like that. Jacknife got onto his feet, and followed Faith's eyes to the buildings, where planks, poles and crates were located. "Then I guess it's time for a short run." This caused the short-haired young adult to be skeptical. Faith asked, feeling suspicious, "I thought you said you wanted a break."

"I said a _small_ break, didn't I? Now then, it's time for you for a nice, refreshing race. Don't worry, I'm not going to trip you or anything," He promised, pulling up Faith from the floor. He started to walk over to the edge, and stepped a few steps back to have a good distance to gain some speed. Faith just stood there, waiting for his instructions. Jacknife shot a disturbed look at her and pulled a smug look, "Oh, c'mon Faithy. You do know how to start a race, right?"

Faith shrugged, "Fine, Jacknife. Whatever you say." She stepped beside Jacknife, so that both would have an arm's length between them. Jacknife took a deep breath once again and said, "Ladies first."

"That's not how you conduct a race."

"Oh really? Okay then. Then the gentlemen will come first," He said, and suddenly took off. Faith was taken by surprise, and instinctively, ran after him. Jacknife stepped on the edge and jumped, before he could grab the ledge of a building opposite from where he and Faith was. It took only a second for him to climb back up, and Faith was the next to jump off the building.

Instead, she pushed her legs forward, causing herself to fall on her back when she landed, but Faith was able to stand up again, unharmed. Jacknife was impressed, but then he soon ran right after the minute Faith brushed off dust from her track pants. "Well, Faithy! I believe you're now full of energy, right?"

"Ready when you are always," Faith smirked, her body racing through the wind, and her mind was focused on overtaking Jacknife's position. Her heart was beating fast, and her mouth went dry. Nonetheless, her spirits were never down. He was right; she was full of energy, from the start. Jumping down platforms and fences, climbing ladders, grabbing vertical bars to get to another side out of reach, some of the things they learned in order to be runners. She then noticed Jacknife slowing down. Wait, was he doing this on purpose? Faith mumbled to herself, "What is he doing..."

She saw Jacknife grabbing a pole and climbing to the top of the surface of platform, and jumping down. He stopped running, and turned back to look at Faith, and yelled, "I win!"

But Faith didn't listen, right in front of her was a fence of high voltage, with the warning sign hammered to it. There were two crates near it, anc the only fast way to get to Jacknife was to use those crates. They were somewhat covered with thick blankets, so Faith could have a better grip on them.

Jacknife found out that Faith was going to jump over the fence, and froze. She couldn't just jump over it! That was pure suicide! He shouted after her, in attempt to stop her from what she was going to do but it was in vain. "Faithy! What on earth are you doing? Don't do it!"

Faith couldn't hear him;she didn't want to. She, perhance being quite stubborn, hopped onto the first shorter crate, before going on the taller one, and finally jumping up high, the distance between her and the electrical fence closing in. She sucked in a ball of air, and tried to raise her legs so that they won't touch the fencing. Half of her body went through safely, but it was her legs. Just a hair's breadth away from the wires and...

"FAITH!" She did a roll on the ground when she landed, but soon dropped to her knees. The look on her face didn't look too good, and Jacknife was about to rush towards her.

_Perfect_.

Without another word, Faith suddenly picked herself up and grabbed Jacknife's shoulders who had already rushed to her aid, and ran him into a wall. Jacknife hit it quite hard, but not badly. It caused him to fall though, and Faith pinned him to the wall. He managed a defeated smile, "Well then, that was pretty careless of me."

"Damn right it was," Faith said, her face almost close to Jacknife's, but her grimace soon turning into a smile. Somehow that was fun, and refreshing.

"Why are you so happy all of a sudden?" Jacknife teased, his sitting position, his face looking up at the younger Runner. Faith blinked and looked away, her cheeks colored with embarrassment. The way she knelt down on one knee, her hands gripping on his shoulders and her face only a few centimeters away from his, there was the tension he started to experience. Concealing it with a happy feeling, he just smiled. No, he didn't want to move from this position, ever. "I believe this is my prize?"

Faith asked annoyingly, "Well, what do you think should be your prize?"

Jacknife chuckled, "I don't know...except for this nice girl sitting right on top of me, and I'm feeling quite comfortable about it. Or maybe you want to give me a better prize- A-Argh! Faithy!" He was interrupted when Faith kicked his rear with her shoe, and Jacknife winced in pain. Faith's face was already crimson, but she didn't know what to do with him right now. He WAS concerned, so she might as well give him the right to decide what he wanted.

Faith sighed, "What should be your prize, then?"

Jacknife recovered from the critical hit, and by noticing Faith's uncertainty, his smile dropped. He looked unsure, considering if she would accept what his decision was. Perhaps if he could reveal what he wanted to show her the whole time maybe she would accept it and... maybe not. He asked, "Faith...You know what the sky's made of?"

"No." Obvious answer. If only he could show it in a way she would understand. He raised a hand to cup her chin, and slowly pulled it to his. Faith was at first puzzled, but when his lips met hers, there was a sort of feeling she had. The soft touch on hers was just so fragile that he pulled away after five seconds saying, "It's made of stardust."

"Stardust?" Faith was listening;that was all he wanted her to do.

"Yeah. My dad told me once the sky's made up of stardust, and it always expressed every emotion a human has, from happiness to sadness to almost anything in the world," Jacknife moved his hand to the back of her neck, the cold part of his hand meeting the warm part of her neck.

"So what does it have to do with this?"

"Listen, Faithy. If there's anything weird about me, just tell me, alright? I don't care if you hate me, but if there is something wrong, just tell, alright?" Jacknife's tone was reassuring yet agitated, but agitated of himself. Faith stared at him for a while.

Faith narrowed her eyes, "What are you talking about? There's nothing wrong, you creep." She pushed her lips at his, deepening it as her answer. The taste of him, she felt sympathy for him. Even with her stubborn attitude, she couldn't believe she didn't realize the satisfaction she had when she kissed him. She let go, and apologized, "I'm sorry for making you worried. I...love you."

Jacknife smiled, "You really did make me worried back there, Faithy." He stroked her hair rather with devotion, and pecked her nose. He stood up slowly and said, "That was maybe the best prize I have ever received."

The young female was surprised to find the elder acting and the teasing and challenging look appeared on her face again. "What's with that attitude?"

He stretched again, "I don't know, Faithy. Just came to me, I guess." A dark-skinned man ran up to an edge of the building where the pair was previously, and he waved at them. Jacknife beamed, "Kreeg! Don't tell me it's my turn now!"

"I think so! Merc's getting grumpy, if you know what I mean! I think he wants to talk to you now!" Kreeg yelled, and Jacknife shook his head in amusing disapproval.

He turned to Faith and said, "Well, I guess I gotta run. See you later, Faithy~" He winked, and ran away from her, on the trail he left when he raced. As for Faith, she smiled until he went out of sight. Well, there he went. She stood up, and brushed off imaginary dust from her shirt. Looking at the sky;it wasn't as bright as she expected to be.

She could almost see the stardust floating up there.

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**Gah. I hate the ending. D: I KNOW IT'S SHORT! But still, I dunno how long I went through for this story XD Also, I did this like at night so my ideas ran out. Gah.**

Credit is given to Swaggers! Thank you for inspiring me!~ :D You are officially my hero, right now! And I do mean hero, anyway ! I hope you guys like it because I really need to know some errors :)


	2. Nonexistant Meeting, All Planned

**Yes, the story's back! :D**

**By the way, the first chapter is, unfortunately and you already knew, a flashback! Right now it's the time for yet ANOTHER well-known meeting for you guys~ XD I'd extend that part to make it more...well you know, give the vibes to my story. **

**To me, after the events of Jacknife leaving the Runners group, I've seen people talking about both Faith and him not going well on good terms. But the more you hate, the more you love.  
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The sun's rays, pale blueness stretching over the sky and fluffy masses of clouds.

All made up the typical recipe for a good day of radiance and luminosity. Although the cold gentle wind remains calm, the dangerous situation was still taking place at that very moment, in that dangerous city, under the beautiful weather which signaled the bad timing for an escape. The wind sometimes guided the lost to the light, reaching their destination of truth and solution. However, Faith wasn't going to be led by that stupid element. She could do it herself because no one was willing to help her except for the Runners, that is.

"Got your word Faith, just be careful. Jacknife's just ahead," were Merc's words. So what if she was careful? Regardless of the methods she came up with in order to run away from the cops, however, she would probably be in another dead end, one way or another. She stared at the floor in the elevator, constantly panting but tried to raise her spirits so that all the things she had in mind were thrown away into oblivion where she couldn't reach. That was fine with her; they were just advertisements, people don't care much about them. They only care about the news, so advertisements were - perhaps - not meant to be read.

When the doors opened, Faith stumbled out, her focus returning and her senses sharp. She sucked in a deep breath and let out another. Take in the good, throw out the bad. Clattering noises, piercing screams, familiar female cries from a certain mother and a thud were all what Faith wanted to forget in the first place. The problem wasn't that she couldn't but because she couldn't think why she hadn't the ability to forget the Riots.

There was that red door there, and the redness was painted off from Faith's vision. She knew that somewhere behind that door was a modern picturesque disaster just waiting for her. Faith hated it but she also grew to like it. She headed towards it and thought to herself, _Anything is better than this_.

_My thoughts exactly._"Hello, Faith."

Not that voice, not that thing, not him, not _now_. She barged through the door to find him standing there, one hand on his hip and another in a wave. The wind blew in cue, just so that Faith could see him much more clearly even if his face was sealed by a shadow. The tattoo on his face was visible, like always, and he had grown much more older. She wondered if his stupidity decreased. Keeping so quiet, she waited for a response to hope if he wasn't that idiotic. Not hope, more like _testing_ if he were much more bolder than a sly fox. Jacknife wasn't the sort who was bold, but a sly bastard.

"Well, what a nice way to greet a friend," He seemed to frown, "so you won't respond, huh? If that's so, then I believe that the little secret will still ..ahh.." Looking at the sky with a hand at his temples, he massaged them as though he wanted to have a better ending to his sentence.

Kept with you? Wasn't that obvious? He smiled at Faith who rolled her eyes, "Ah, yes. Kept _safely_ with me."

"You mind reader," Faith grumbled to herself ever so inaudibly, concealing the annoyance in her voice so that he wouldn't hear what she said. Nevertheless, Jacknife's face brightened when she said it. He smirked, "So you are listening to me! I knew it, I knew it."

Faith narrowed her eyes, "Knew it so what? I know you're hiding something from me."

Jacknife chuckled, "And you know I'm not going to tell you what I'm hiding."

Of course. She knew him better than he did and she didn't like having more knowledge. Nevertheless, she was determined to find out what that bastard was hiding. It could lead to the strange case of Blues or even Pope's death. He had a lot of contacts. Codes, evidence, cheats, reinforcements and all the sorts. Whatever it was, it held some sort of importance and Jacknife didn't want to reveal it to anyone, or just _anybody_. He wasn't even reluctant when Faith knew his plan. Also, Jacknife wasn't that much good of an actor. "So I have to squeeze all the information out of you?"

He gave her the 'I'd like to see you try' smirk and laughed, "You know the game, right?"

"Who doesn't?" Faith threatened, but there was a mark of unwillingness. She was going overboard last time and wished she hadn't that day. Nonetheless, she accepted his challenge.

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Faith ran towards the fallen man who stood up with a stumble. Now she cornered him, from all the sides. He was just too fast, and perhaps too fast for his own liking. Good riddance he fell from that pole or Faith would lose him. Just like how she did in the past...but she wasn't going to let him get away. If she did, her plan would fail. She watched the ex-Runner having less difficulty as he cleared his vision, keeping her guard in any event he would attack. Jacknife rubbed his head and smiled faintly at her, "I know what you're here for, Faithy."

"Just tell me what Icarus has to do with Pope's murder, _Jack_," She decided to go straight to the point, not wanting to waste anymore time. Jacknife just laughed silently, like he always did. But this laugh was darker, more like a betrayal. Quitting the Runners was a bitter memory Faith couldn't throw away. Jacknife didn't make the effort to study Faith's look or make eye contact with her. He looked away and said nonchalantly, "I heard a cop did it."

So he claimed he heard a cop did it? Lies. All lies.

"You heard wrong then," Faith snapped, stepping forward. She wanted answers from Jacknife, not from a Jackass. Jacknife hopped onto the edge, turning the subject into another. "You're a fan of wrestling, Faith?" The man said, causing Faith to be puzzled by his words, "Pope was a wrestling fan."

He looked at the building opposite which had the word 'Burfield' painted on the wall. He glanced at it for a while before turning back to Faith, "He even employed an ex-wrestler to handle his security. Travis Burfield... Used to go by the name of 'Ropeburn'."

Faith stiffened. This was leading to nowhere. She didn't have the time to listen about wrestling and things like that. She needed real information, information that is beneficial for the case. However, Jacknife made it sound like it was a joke yet an issue. It was either and she wouldn't hesitate to just push him off from the edge. One little push and down he goes.

But that wasn't the answer to this all. "Is this going somewhere?"

"Ropeburn, well... He's really just a thug who got lucky," Jacknife hadn't finished, deliberately missing Faith's question. "and sometimes people are too ignorant to see their place."

Wasn't he one of them? "Life's just tight, Jacknife," Faith growled, "Only you're the one who's too ignorant to even realize it."

Jacknife seemed impressed, but he continued, "Always want to swim in the big pond...Never see the bigger fish. Why, I'm only just a teeny tiny fish just swimming. There's much more superior ones lurking beneath the water, Faithy."

"Superior? So why won't they show themselves?"

"Like I said, Faithy. They're lurking right beneath the water, out of everyone's sight. They usually keep secrets and sometimes I don't have all the contacts they want me to have. Or at least, dared me to have," Jacknife pulled a smug look and truth was just written all over his face. He strolled towards Faith who didn't make a move. "Came to see me again?"

Faith sighed. Merc was listening, and she took off the piece from her ear. Allowing him to listen would only blow everything away. Even if he already knew, she didn't want to flood him with the 'incident'. "You have contacts. You know something I don't. You might as well tell me so I'll know..." She paused for a while and her expression dropped, "... So I had to see you."

Jacknife smiled bitterly, "I'm grateful to hear that, Faithy. Life is a pain, like always. There's nothing we can do about this damn city."

"We don't have the authority to," Faith agreed. Not only the Runners were unhappy with the city's decisions, but ex-Runners too. Most probably all the residents hated it. She wished she could just forget about the city for a while and about herself but she knew she couldn't. She didn't have the strength to consider about her position at that moment. Death was marked everywhere and safety was the only thing she lacked of.

But what about Jacknife? He agreed that life WAS a pain but for who? He didn't sound like he meant it for himself. If it wasn't for himself then was it for...

"I missed you," Faith whispered, looking down at her feet. Three words escaped from her lips unknowingly. Subconsciousness took over her and she didn't know. However, she really did want to say it. She expected a hug from him but Jacknife just froze. Froze for almost a mere minute. His hand moved to the side of Faith's face, and cupped her cheek.

He softly said, "I don't know how to reply to that, Faithy."

Nobody does.

"You don't have to," She placed her hand on Jacknife's which was holding her cheek. It was warm, and she felt that her hand was cold. She was incomplete without him and she didn't want to leave him. Faith had to struggle through life without him but the lesson was difficult. Nothing helps, and nothing will.

Both were silent, until he bent down to touch Faith's forehead with his lips. He brushed off the fringe, and Faith could instantly feel a warm sensation on her head. It was there for only a while before it could fade away. Fade away with the hand that dropped back to its owner's sides. Jacknife stepped back, "You know I can't be with you right now."

"I know." Faith said. "But there are fishes even bigger than you, right?"

He smiled. "You can put that piece back on right now. He won't catch anything." She obeyed, and put the small object in her ear again. There a short static but it recovered. Merc was now listening... But he had no idea what was going on just now.

"Well I gotta go," Jacknife said, dismissing the conversation. He hadn't had the time for buy some more time. Faith understood; he wasn't one of them anymore and she did understand. "Time's killed already."

"Just go," Faith sighed exasperatedly.

"If I were you, I'd start with that glorified slab of meat," He laughed.

"Yeah?"

"Maybe I'll share with you. Maybe not. But whatever, happy hunting!" Jacknife saluted mockingly, and he ran away. He got away.

On Faith's watch.

* * *

_"Hey, Jack, Faith." Merc greeted as the two Runners jumped down from the hole in the ceiling. His eyes were fixated on the computer but he knew Faith and Jacknife entering as the shadows seemed familiar. Faith propped herself on the couch, calm and relaxed but Jacknife was dead tired. He almost fell on his face when he landed on the hard, base ground. He needed a break. He wanted to die. But not in this place.  
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_Jacknife snarled at Merc, probably because Merc 'mispronounced' his name, "It's Jacknife, Merc. I'm not born yesterday."_

_"Alright, Jackass. Happy?" Merc spun in his chair to face the two - with Jacknife slumping beside Faith with exhaustion - and looked at them. "Looks like your training really did pay off, Faith," He remarked with a smile before a disappointed look appeared when he commented, "You really did have a hard time, did you, Jacknife. Kreeg told me you fell pretty badly." Jacknife just shrugged._

_Faith sighed, "It's a pain dragging him back to base." Of course, exasperation and regret filled her tone in disguise but concern was concealed in case Merc got the wrong idea. _

_Merc chuckled, "You know Jacknife. He's a real pain in the ass when you work with him." The young man flinched as though an invisible hand was slapped across his face. Jacknife sunk his face into his hands followed by groans. Groans of annoyance and anger to be tolerated. Merc just smiled at Faith and returned to his work, "You guys can rest."_

_A mere second after he returned to his work, Faith bent down so she could have a better look of Jacknife's face covered in his hands. She was regretful because she was too forward with him. No, this wasn't her image at all. She didn't have feelings for him now, didn't she? Faith thought Jacknife already gone head over heels for her which was an outright misconception. There was no way she was going to have a relationship with him. She whispered threateningly, "Jacknife about that...I-"  
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_"Not now, Faithy, not now." Jacknife lamented, not daring to look at her. They were with Merc so he couldn't possibly talk about that 'kiss' around him. Also, he couldn't hint about anything related to that 'kiss' at all. He said, "We can practice later. My bones are going to crack any moment right now."_

_Faith bit her lip. "But-"  
_

_"Give me mercy, Faith! You're being like my mom!" Jacknife snapped in agony, shooting up as he glared that 'I'm not going to talk about that with HIM around' expression. Luckily, Merc didn't have the interest to see what was going on behind. _

_He leaned closer and whispered, "Look Faithy. I know you're nervous and all, and yeah I liked that kiss. But I knew it was wrong. Horribly wrong. So now's not the time to talk about this, okay? Some other time."_

_Some other time, eh? Problem was, it never came.  
_


End file.
